We live in a world where companies try to make more and more items disposable so that we will keep on consuming. It is quite rediculous that when something breaks (i.e. a TV or printer), most people would rather buy a new one than get it repaired because it is cheaper to do so. While this finacially may make sense, in terms of resource consumption, it is definately a very wasteful and short sighted way to deal with products that aren't made to last. The decision to buy a new item rather than get the old one repaired is a decision to buy into this wasteful system and support it. By employing one of our many talented repairwomen or men, you woud be making a statement against disposable culture, and would be supporting a more sustainable future. If enough people started doing this, corporations would realize that people don't want cheaply made products that do not last, and that we aren't just going to keep buying new items without questioning if this is really necessary.
A simple plastic pen might not seem like a big deal compared to much larger items, but if you look in your drawer or pencil holder, you will likely find many pens, which will not last long and eventually have to be disposed of somehow and you will buy some new pens to replace them. Of course this makes sense, since eventually you are going to use up all the ink in the pen, but is it really necessary to buy an entire pen when it is only the ink that needs to be replaced? Considering that a large majority of people own these writing utensils, given the enormous popluation on our planet, that equals a LOT of plastic, not only sitting in landfills for thousands of years without biodegrading, but also using oil to create the plastic, and polluting the air in the process of manufacturing. So why does everyone have so many disposal pens? Why don't we all just buy one refillable pen and do away with the whole cyclical buying and disposing process? Well, I suppose than one reason might be that the pen is not very large in size and can easily be lost. Given my collection of free pens that I have acquired since I started university, and that I still have now, this doesn't seem to be too much of an issue for me.
I also own several calligraphy pens which I refill with a small cartridge that only uses a minimal amount of plastic (4 or 5 cartridge refills would equal the amount of plastic used to make one disposable pen). I also have a wooden pen that I refill with nontoxic ink that is packaged in very slim brass refills. I used this pen to take notes in every single lecture I had in university for one year without having to refill it once. Of my refillable pens, so far I haven't lost any of them, and if I did none of them were so expensive that it would be much of a loss (except of course for the calligraphy pen I inherited from my Grandfather).
My wooden pen (Goodkind Woody) I believe cost me $3 - $4 (and came filled with ink), and it only costs $2.50 for two refills. Considering how long each refill lasts before you have to replace it, this proves to be very economical and cost efficient, so buying cheap disposable pens really isn't saving you any money.
On a somewhat related note, I have often found it remarkable how people frequently lose things and it seems nearly impossible to keep anything for your entire life, yet (most) people, regardless of their age, still have their birth certificate. This document is so important that people somehow manage it keep it safe and keep track of it their entire lives. It really is quite amazing. I am suprised that I own something that I have had since I was born, and haven't lost it yet.
A simple plastic pen might not seem like a big deal compared to much larger items, but if you look in your drawer or pencil holder, you will likely find many pens, which will not last long and eventually have to be disposed of somehow and you will buy some new pens to replace them. Of course this makes sense, since eventually you are going to use up all the ink in the pen, but is it really necessary to buy an entire pen when it is only the ink that needs to be replaced? Considering that a large majority of people own these writing utensils, given the enormous popluation on our planet, that equals a LOT of plastic, not only sitting in landfills for thousands of years without biodegrading, but also using oil to create the plastic, and polluting the air in the process of manufacturing. So why does everyone have so many disposal pens? Why don't we all just buy one refillable pen and do away with the whole cyclical buying and disposing process? Well, I suppose than one reason might be that the pen is not very large in size and can easily be lost. Given my collection of free pens that I have acquired since I started university, and that I still have now, this doesn't seem to be too much of an issue for me.
I also own several calligraphy pens which I refill with a small cartridge that only uses a minimal amount of plastic (4 or 5 cartridge refills would equal the amount of plastic used to make one disposable pen). I also have a wooden pen that I refill with nontoxic ink that is packaged in very slim brass refills. I used this pen to take notes in every single lecture I had in university for one year without having to refill it once. Of my refillable pens, so far I haven't lost any of them, and if I did none of them were so expensive that it would be much of a loss (except of course for the calligraphy pen I inherited from my Grandfather).
My wooden pen (Goodkind Woody) I believe cost me $3 - $4 (and came filled with ink), and it only costs $2.50 for two refills. Considering how long each refill lasts before you have to replace it, this proves to be very economical and cost efficient, so buying cheap disposable pens really isn't saving you any money.
On a somewhat related note, I have often found it remarkable how people frequently lose things and it seems nearly impossible to keep anything for your entire life, yet (most) people, regardless of their age, still have their birth certificate. This document is so important that people somehow manage it keep it safe and keep track of it their entire lives. It really is quite amazing. I am suprised that I own something that I have had since I was born, and haven't lost it yet.
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